Section News

SECTION REPORTS BARNOLDSWICK

Club member Dorothy Altham on retiring at 62 needed a hobby to fill her time. She found it in cycling. She joined Barnoldswick Clarion and the local C.T.C. alternating between slow and medium rides. Last year she clocked up over 10,000mls. With a smile she says: “I think cycling is taking over my life”. Last year she decided on an adventure and rode the 8mls down to Gargrave and boarded the train to Barrow in Furness, stopping overnight in a travel lodge. The following morning she set off from Walney Island to ride the Bay Cycle Way NCN700. 130km finishing in Condor Green where, staying overnight, she rode the 50 or so miles back home. Well done Dorothy! Not bad for 67. Where to this year? Dorothy, on the left, with club members on a hostel weekend to Arnside. Dave Poole, Kielder Forest Duathlon Dave Poole finished 2nd overall in The Kielder Forest Duathlon January 2020.

Members Colin and Sharon Urmston have just arrived back from Tenerife. Colin, on a lazy day rode, 120mls and did 16,000ft of climbing around Mt.Tiede.Martin and Linda enjoyed an extended cycling break in Benidorm where Martin just topped 100,000ft of ascent.

Dave Sherwood is organising this year’s Majorca trip to Porto Pollensa.

Barnoldswick Clarion now has more than 65 members with members enjoying the great benefits of the Clarion Third Party Insurance scheme.

Mick Meath

BOLTON CLARION

As we move towards the end of the summer the days shorten and we all hope for a last surge of energy as the TT season comes to a close. Along with the National Clarion Crit Champs the Club had its annual Handicap 10 which was taken in his usual cheery style by Geoff Taylor.

Each year we try to do something different as a group outing, so in late August, an Isle of Man weekender trip following the Lighthouse Challenge route went down well accompanied by fabulous weather. More locally a good number turned out in the wet and cold for the Manchester 100 in aid of Christies Hospital in Manchester. Lighthouse Challenge John Stirzaker was at Poznan Poland on the 1st September for The UCI Gran Fondo World Championships Finals, part of the World Series. The UK qualifier is the Tour of Cambridgeshire that takes place in early June and is split into a race and Gran Fondo with top 25% qualifying for the finals. Then the CX season started with events in the North West Cyclocross league For the first round we had six Clarionistas competing with many junior riders from The Bullets. This level of commitment continued with many Club members and Bullets taking part throughout the season right up until the end of January.

On the 14th September Francis Woodcock came 5th in the National Youth 10tt final with probably the highest placing for a first claim Bury Clarion rider at a National level event. A great result!

John Stirzaker Francis Woodcock

Then followed the Clarion National 25TT at Goostrey. Not an easy course but Gavin Wright was 1st Vet (3rd overall) and Joanna Cebrat took the womens Trophy in a time of 1:04:34.

Hill climbs then became the order of the day with the Blackstone Edge HC on 6th October and also a big event on the North West calender at The Rake Ramsbottom. This always draws large crowds and Club member Francis Woodcock became the NLTTA hill climb champion. It is also a busy time for club rides as we try to combine them with supporting competing members. At the Nick o’ Pendle HC Marcus Hurst knocked out a good time as our only representative cheered on by a massive Clarion crowd in support who then headed down to Heaton Park on the outskirts of Manchester to watch the CX racing which involved both our smallest and biggest riders…

At the National Clarion Hill Climb Champs, Beeley Moor, our very own Joanna Cebrat placed 7th overall with a winning ladies’ time of 13.17.1 She has trained hard and had a great season!

Moving into December, we appear to be a load of party animals with almost back to back Christmas celebrations! We had a great Curry Night, then the Bullets Christmas Party, followed by the (pre) Christmas Breakfast bike ride! Fortunately there were still some left standing for the Christmas Eve Ride as well ! We are still getting folks into the new Club kit made by local firm, Lusso, and as the New Year started, many turned up for a “try on” evening followed at the end of January by our Awards Evening when over 100 turned out. Jake Wright was our special guest and £530 was raised for MDS uk.

During the last twelve months we have developed relationships with local British Cycling approved coaches and this has opened the door to Track Skills sessions including some at the Stephen Burke Hub in Barrowford. Places on these sessions have been snapped up proving especially popular with our women riders. We are also really pleased that we now have a broader age group profile in the Club, the younger riders are every ones future!

We are fortunate to have many enthusiastic rider leaders in the Club. Sometimes there has been the option for five rides over the weekend and there is also a regular commitment to midweek rides. Of course, sadly, group riding has been curtailed by the arrival of the Covid 19 virus and we extend our condolences to any who have lost loved ones, family or friends as a result. It it has also been difficult time with many suffering financially as well, so we look forward to a lifting of restrictions with all that entails and the opportunity to meet and ride together again.

Ken Woodward

BRIGHTON AND HOVE

Brighton & Hove Section’s AGM coming up at the end of March usually gives us the opportunity to review the year just gone. In that year the Section, despite some difficulties with the weather, saw a flourishing continuation of its rides programme, together with welcome new members who are already offering to lead rides; and in line with the aim of our Constitution to “promote Good Fellowship” the tradition of having a summer picnic was revived this year at Pevensey and we can look forward to one later on (as long as the summer arrives!)

A new arrival has now occurred as an addition to the excellent long-standing regular “Newsletter” produced by our Secretary Ian Bullock which carries reports on rides, future activities, including possible forthcoming rides, and often aspects of the history of the Clarion as well as practical information. The arrival of the Google Group: – “Brighton & Hove Clarion Cycling club group” can add input from members, information, views, discussion, ideas for future activities communication.

Leon Moore – sadly missed

But we must now turn to the very sad event of the year when after a long struggle with illness our much loved member Leon Moore died in August. With

his love of life, his readiness to go for what life had to offer, his sense of fun and the Clarion ethos, Leon had found the Brighton & Hove Clarion Section an ideal “home”. The way he found his new home was typical of him. After a solitary ride – he noticed on the opposite rail platform the Clarion group waiting for a train back to Brighton – he called across to check who “they” were and just before the train took us away there was the time to call back to him - “The Clarion Brighton & Hove look it up” … and at the very next grouping at Brighton Station who should come across the platform other than Leon. After joining with us on that occasion he became a dedicated member bringing his ready wit, his sense of fun, and his kindness. With such sad news, it was not surprising that soon members were saying through the Google group that the appropriate way to pay one’s respect and amity for Leon would be to have a Clarion Ride in his honour to commemorate him. The suggestion was taken up by three members offering to organise such a ride for 20 October which was to start from Hassocks where Leon had lived for many years, which he knew intimately, had his favourite haunts and from where he often started leading rides.

Saying Goodbye Leon loved the Clarion and he also loved Brighton and had many friends there so it was right that this circular ride from Hassocks should use the fine Sussex lanes to reach the Natural Burial Ground at Clayton where he had chosen to be laid to rest. it was also right that the riders should be mostly Clarion members. Rides are very important for members and ultimately this was to be a Clarion ride. Nevertheless there were cyclists who were not Clarion members wanting to pay their respects who attended. There were also those who wanted to pay homage to Leon but who did not cycle, they were nevertheless welcome. Those who did cycle agreed that as a ride it was a success, passing through the lanes and undulations so typical of the Sussex countryside, topped by a stop at the Sportsman pub with lovely down land vistas; Leon would have enjoyed it.

It was good to see such a large number of people attending. And it was a truly lovely event, one of great tenderness, friendliness, humanity and with people telling their memories, their stories, and of their fondness for Leon, which continued over lunch at the Jack and Jill. Thus Leon’s memorial event was an outstanding event in our year which brought us close to the ending of the year, usually marked by the Christmas lunch which in this case was organised by Sean who stepped in at the last minute to make sure we had one this year so the traditional “good time” was had by all. Joyce Edmond-Smith

BROADLAND CLARION

Our small group continues to grow as we welcome Michael Kennedy from south Suffolk, previously a private member and Alan a more local, but super-fast moutain bike and sportive rider who, wants to have a go at time trialing and needed a club membership to further his aims. We will update you on his success and encourage him take part in Clarion national events. Others are lurking in the wings and hopefully will sign up once the rides season gets properly underway. South Norfolk Loop Audax Our 2019 season saw an ever varying group complete a variety of longer distance club rides and all four of John (Tommo) Thompsons 100k audax events, taking us all over the Norfolk Broads, deep in to rural Suffolk and along the Waveney valley. John’s routes are always interesting and his last for the season, on a bright November day offered us the challenge not only of country lanes, slick with mud from sugar beet fields but also the prospect of navigating two fords. His stamp control at the Good the Bad and The Hungry Café at Wingfield was an inspired one and has been added to our

list of destinations. We assembled 11 for our annual lunch at the excellent Earsham Street café in Bungay.

Norfolk can be bleak in the winter and whilst we have remained devoid of snow and largely free of ice, weekends have for the most part been exceedingly windy and riding has been curtailed. Some of course are not deterred and Steve Shepherd continues to clock up impressive mileage counts week in, week out. Well done Steve.

Edward Gilder

COTSWOLD CLARION

The Cotswold Clarion section was formed in March 2018. While our membership is made up mostly of riders living either side of the North Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire border, we’re also delighted to have Ian and Jan from Oxfordshire.

The Club is ideally placed to enjoy some great cycling, whether it be the flat roads around the Cotswold Water Park or the lumpy lanes that pass through the yellow limestone famed chocolate box villages.

We’re very pleased to have joined the Clarion family and are looking forward to playing our part. What we might lack in terms of numbers, we more than make up for in enthusiasm and commitment. Our distinctive jerseys, complete with a large Cotswold Clarion badge emblazoned across the back, reflects just how proud we are. It was an honour to be allowed to donate The Cotswold Clarion CC Trophy, presented for the first time at the Easter Meet at Warwick to the section with the most riders completing the 125km Clarion Cotswold Challenge. This was funded by Mike and Tim.

Our weekly midweek and weekend club rides are very much a core activity. While everyone is encouraged to take their turn, we’re very grateful to Peter and Mike, who both do an excellent job of designing interesting courses, with well researched coffee stops, and then posting them on our Strava Club page.

Cycling in Audax events also features strongly, with some members regularly riding 100km and 200km. Pride of place though goes to Tommy who in 2019 completed the Celtic Knot 1000km.

Administration wise, we’ve held two successful AGM’s and have managed to fill all the key positions on the committee with willing volunteers. Tim Wadsworth

LONDON CLARION

2020 is a significant year for London Clarion. Not only is it the 125th Anniversary of the gathering of Clarion Cycle Clubs in Ashbourne at Easter but it was in May 1895 that the first of our London Clarion Cycle Clubs was formed. We have been in constant unbroken operation since then, now making us the oldest continually operating Clarion Cycle Club. We had planned to celebrate these achievements with a Reunion Easter Meet at Ashbourne but have had to postpone that due to the current Pandemic.

2020 is also the year in which our Club membership has surpassed 100 for the first time since before WWII. A decade ago, we were one of the smaller Clubs with only a handful of members. Today we have a diverse membership and an international following. We put our success down to an adherence to a Constitution which espouses the aims of our founders; excellent website and very active social media accounts; our campaigning and involvement on cycling and social issues; an interesting, attractive and often unique programme of rides & events, a great kit including our popular Anniversary Cap sold through our webstore- all of which have allowed us to build an attractive Club that is united through Fellowship and cycling and open to all. In the past year our cycles have included visits to abandoned Victorian forts; working Victorian Steam Pumping Stations; a nuclear bunker and WWII Aerodrome and even a cycle, brewery tasting and tour thanks to Heathen Brewery and Ed Perfect. Many of our rides follow the river, take us through the Royal Parks or out to the countryside which is a good hour’s cycle from the centre of London! Highlights for later this year include a cycle to the World’s oldest Wooden Church, a Charles Dickens Great Expectations ride and a Robert Tressell ‘Ragged Trousered Philanthropist’ weekend (in which the Clarion Cycling Club, of course, gets it’s mention). In the finest traditions of the Club we continue to enjoy excellent pubs and beer, for as The Bounder said, “What this club wants is a not a speedometer but a boozometer.” Every November we pause for Remembrance Sunday. Like every Club, our usual activities are currently suspended but we are extremely proud to say that having issued a Clarion call for cycle couriers in mid-March to assist a South London Community Centre with food and medicine deliveries, our members Octavian Bulgac and Simon Perera were some of its very first volunteers.

We truly have a great Clarion Cycle Club and are rightly proud!

Summer 2020 NORTH CHESHIRE CLARION NEWS

Last year as a club we wanted to entice riders who had not been out on their bikes for a while or those who were less confident riding in a group and on roads. We decided that “leisure rides” would be a good start, these rides would be slower and not as far as our normal “Intro rides”. We linked with British Cycling to advertise these on their website enabling anyone to sign up and also used our own forum. The rides ran every month from April to September 2019 and proved very successful with numbers growing each month. It is our intention to run the leisure rides again in 2020. It has been a relatively quiet few months in the senior section of the club. On the 8th December we had a club Velodrome session in Manchester where we did some skills sessions and a standing lap (the results of which were closely guarded). December also saw our traditional Fun Fancy dress ride with a mix of junior and continues to flourish as our recent club photo highlights. The first three months of this year reflected the club’s ability to embrace and excel in a wide range of cycling disciplines, most notably seeing their first National Champion, Seb Grindley, receiving his ‘hoops’ at the National Cyclocross Championships at Shrewbury in January. Seb took an emphatic victory in the U14 Boys category, anything less would have been hard to take on the back of his incredible run of success in National Trophy Series. He was awarded the National Clarion ‘Most Meritorious Junior’ senior riders on a 32mile ride followed by festive drinks and food at the pub. On 23rd February we ran the Mere Audax rides, 160 and 200km routes around South Cheshire (into Staffordshire) with riders from at least 5 Clarion sections. The rides took place just after the storms, so some heavy overnight rain meant some flooded roads again (they had been checked and were clear the day before!) but the weather was reasonable for the time of year. The biggest problem being a couple of cars stuck on the grass at the end of the event. But we did raise over £650 for charity (including a donation to the Lothian Cycle circuit). We had planned our Wizard audax rides (120, 160 and 200km) for July this year along with possibly a low key 300km audax for the brave. Our membership now stands at 232.

NORTH CHESHIRE CLARION JUNIORS

The North Cheshire Junior Section Neil Shand award in recognition of this awesome achievement.

Over the course of the National Cyclocross season Seb was joined by two club mates, Joe Watkins-Wilson and John White, in the U14 Boys category, along with Gabby Scott in the U14 Girls, Hannah McClorey in U16 Girls and Raph Tabiner and Ethan Grimshaw in the U16 Boys. It was great to have such a large number of riders representing the club on the national stage. A number of these riders then attended the Northern CX Regional School of Racing in Middlesbrough, which is equally important for cementing friendships as well as developing technical skills. Seb and the other older riders’ results spearheaded a very successful Cyclocross season for all ages and abilities. At a regional level our juniors dominated the NW Cycloross League taking the U12 and Youth Team titles and the most Improved Girl title at the region’s annual awards evening. This was in addition to numerous podiums and first places from U8 (E) to U16 (A). A number of our accredited track riders attended the National Clarion Track Championships in Derby where they each put on some impressive performances and were made to feel incredibly welcome by the adult racers. (ed - see pics in this edition)

The club’s other ‘off road’ activity included a Cycle Speedway taster session at Astley and Tyldesley’s Cycling Club’s Gin Pit Track where adults and children had a fun hour of coaching and racing on bikes with no gears and no brakes thanks to team mates that ride in this discipline. Our regular midweek indoor training sessions over the winter were very well attended by riders of all ages. The progress made by our younger riders was phenomenal and our older riders used the sessions well putting them in great shape for the pre-season races. The MTB season started well with a number of riders attending the first round in the Forest of Dean. Similarly, a cohort of riders excelled in the pre-season crits at the Mosseley CRT ‘Early Bird’ series (Tameside), and the Dolan Youth Series (Southport) and Rhyl with some outstanding performances, especially Albie Jones in the U12 Boys category who remained unbeaten until the shut-down of the racing season due to the COVID-19 outbreak

With the cancellation of racing, training and coaching, the resourcefulness of the club’s coaches and the camaraderie of the riders has now moved to the virtual world. Our coaches have been instrumental in the establishment of a NW Zwift Community supporting all the NW region’s riders to keep fit, keep training and most importantly keeping in touch with their friends. Our juniors may not be pedalling together on the road or track, but they are certainly pedalling together in mutual support and staying safe in the virtual cycling world. See also North Cheshire Clarion juniors in action in our Track Champs feature

Summer 2020 IRONBRIDGE CLARION UPDATE

FOR BOOTS & SPURS

Quite a few of you will know us from the Autumn meets we hosted in recent years. We are still a small club with a focus on recreational cycling in the Shropshire hills usually including the essential café stop. Membership has fallen slightly in the last couple of years but until the recent events we’ve had regular weekend club runs as well as a few shorter mid-week evening rides in the summer. To maximise numbers and maintain some flexibility these are mainly organised by our club WhatsApp group. In 2019 we also had members joining a range of local and not so local sportives, where the focus was on completing rather than competing. These included the Fred Whitton on a great sunny but tiring day, some of the local Bostin rides (into Wales and the Peak District), the Brewood ride, as well as the Danny Mason Highland challenge from Ludlow and the Autumn epic in the Welsh borders from Knighton. 2020 has been a lot more challenging. In January and February, we seemed to be cycling into storm force winds every weekend. These storms also delivered heavy rain in Wales flooding Ironbridge and many of the Severn the river crossings. Our standard routes had to change to include harder hill climb detours and the surfaces of the lanes were transformed from tarmac to mud, gravel and frequent unexpected fords.

Just as the weather started to improve, we went from flood to plague and had to stop group rides in March. At the time of writing here is a straw poll of members on their primary cycling related activities in the UK Lockdown:

• 25% mainly short solo rides • 38% training on a turbo • 25% regular short rides to work • 12% no cycle related exercise Hopefully by the time this is published we’ll be back out in a group on the roads (or gravel!) with our favourite cafes reopened.

Future Events

These will be notified on the web site and via email to Sections as and when the current restrictions on sporting and social gatherings are lifted.